Mother of teen who fell from campaign bus speaks following tragedy

By Halshane Burke    

 

The mother of 15-year-old Lamar Grey, who died during a campaign event for the People's National Party on Sunday, has sought to clear the air surrounding the incident.

 

Lamar fell from a moving vehicle about 5:15 p.m. as the motorcade was passing through the Southboro Division in Portmore, St. Catherine.

 

The teen's mother, Andrea, said she was on the bus with her son when the incident occurred. 

 

"Pon di bus weh mi did deh wid him, him deh pon di door. Mi seh MJ come off a di door. Mi talk to him til mi and him sidung. When di rest a dem a run off a di bus, him a run off. Like, if mi did seh sup'm to him, him woulda come back or mi go draw him. But...mi waan seh sup'm to him and mi cyah seh nut'n to him. Suh him guh back pon di otha bus now and a suh mi hear dem a seh somebody drop off, and mi just know seh a him." 

 

Andrea also quashed questions about her son being part of a political campaign. 

 

"Some people a seh him shouldn't deh pon di bus and mi see young baby deh pon politics bus, so dat coulda happen to anybody and a just life," she argued, adding that she will remain strong despite feeling "really down" about her son's death. 

 

Meanwhile, PNP President Mark Golding and other members of the party visited with the family on Monday to offer support.

 

Mr. Golding said the party is in a state of shock and sadness following the incident. 

 

He urged campaigners to "calm down and not to take any unnecessary risk on the road; think about your own safety and the safety of others".